My God and My Country

A Study of Psalm Thirty Four

Verse One

1 I will always give thanks unto the Lord: his praise shall be in my mouth continually.

Brethren:

The statement above as made by the psalmist David is that all day, every day shall he give praise to our Creator. If you recall during our last study, a similar point was made in 32:11, in so far as that the righteous shall always be comforted by the peace of God, which can only come about by faith, and the expression of that faith through praise and thanksgiving. Likewise should also be of praise to Him. To give thanks in all things.

In the Gospel of Luke we read of the example of how to pray, that being what is known as the Lord's prayer. In it, the second line is praising the Father, “hallowed by thy name” or in other words, Holy is it, and through inference the idea of praise is connected.

“If we read this Psalm with an eye to David King of Israel; we shalt find great light thrown upon it by turning to the history of David to which the title refers, (See 1 Samuel 21:10-15). If we read it with an eye to David's Lord, of whom David was a type, and to whom he ministered as a prophet, we must turn to the Evangelists, and behold the deliverance of Christ from the powers of darkness at his resurrection. And if we read it as applicable to every true believer in Christ, in all his escapes from sin, and his final triumph over death and the grave; we must still consider the believer in Christ as only conquering in his name, and triumphing in his salvation. What I would recommend the Reader therefore to do through the whole of this Psalm, in order that he may enter into the enjoyment of the precious things in it, is (what I desire grace to do myself,) to keep a steady eye on Jesus, and in his triumph s and victories to take part. This will be (as the Psalmist expresses at in another place) to rejoice in his salvation, and in the name of our God to set up our banners.” - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary